Friday in Advent — Open Word

FIRST READING

2 Samuel 7:18-22

Verse 18. Then King David went in, sat before the LORD, and said, “Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that You have brought me this far? Verse 19. And as if this was a small thing in Your eyes, O Lord GOD, You have also spoken about the future of the house of Your servant. Is this Your custom with man, O Lord GOD? Verse 20. What more can David say to You? For You know Your servant, O Lord GOD. Verse 21. For the sake of Your word and according to Your own heart, You have accomplished this great thing and revealed it to Your servant. Verse 22. How great You are, O Lord GOD! For there is none like You, and there is no God but You, according to everything we have heard with our own ears.

PSALM

Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19

For the choirmaster. To the tune of “The Lilies of the Covenant.” A Psalm of Asaph. Hear us, O Shepherd of Israel, who leads Joseph like a flock; You who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth

before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh. Rally Your mighty power and come to save us.

Restore us, O God, and cause Your face to shine upon us, that we may be saved.

O LORD God of Hosts, how long will Your anger smolder against the prayers of Your people?

You fed them with the bread of tears and made them drink the full measure of their tears.

You make us contend with our neighbors; our enemies mock us.

Restore us, O God of Hosts, and cause Your face to shine upon us, that we may be saved.

Let Your hand be upon the man at Your right hand, on the son of man You have raised up for Yourself.

Then we will not turn away from You; revive us, and we will call on Your name.

Restore us, O LORD God of Hosts; cause Your face to shine upon us, that we may be saved.

SECOND READING

Galatians 4:1-7

Verse 1. What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he is the owner of everything. Verse 2. He is subject to guardians and trustees until the date set by his father. Verse 3. So also, when we were children, we were enslaved under the basic principles of the world. Verse 4. But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, Verse 5. to redeem those under the law, that we might receive our adoption as sons. Verse 6. And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Verse 7. So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, you are also an heir through God.